APPENDIX 1 Achievements in Delivery of the Corporate Plan 2013-17
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APPENDIX 1 Achievements in delivery of the Corporate Plan 2013-17 Northumberland County Council’s Corporate Plan sets out the council’s priorities for 2013 -17. During this time the council has been faced with significant cuts but has still managed to deliver a range of investments and excellent services. Some of these are detailed in this report. Corporate Plan Economic Growth a great place to work. We are leading the regeneration of the county through our review of market towns initiative, and our £352 million capital programme for 2015-16 and 2016-2017. We are re-investing money being spent on buildings the council no longer needs and creating one stop shops, making it easier for residents to still access council services locally and under one roof. Together with Arch, our development company, we launched our new Economic Strategy earlier this year. We are also in the final stages of producing our Core Strategy which will see 10,000 extra jobs and xx extra homes (including xx affordable homes) in the county and by 2031. Places and environment a beautiful place. We are preserving and improving the county; embracing our diversity from the rural areas, the coastline, national park, market towns and many more urban areas which make our county special. Our parks continue to receive, the Tour of Britain in September 2015 saw Northumberland broadcast to 166 countries worldwide whilst the Tall Ships in August 2016 will showcase to county internationally and attracts Ships and visitors from across the world. Stronger communities and families a great place to live. Working with parents, governors and schools we are helping to drive improvements in our schools. We are also investing £xxm pounds between 2013 and 2017 in one of the country’s largest schools capital investment programmes to ensure our children receive the best possible education. GCSE results were amongst the most improved in the country this year and we received national recognition from Ofsted. (needs updating once 2016 results known) Northumberland continues to be amongst the highest local authority areas in the country for parents to gain the schools of their school for their children. 1 APPENDIX 1 Health and Wellbeing a healthy place to live and work. Leisure and cultural activity contributes to both the wellbeing and quality of life of local communities. Between 2013 and 2017, and with Active Northumberland, we are investing £xx million in new and modernised leisure facilities across the county ensuring our residents have access to some of the best facilities and activities available. We are also providing a range of services to improve health and wellbeing - a fundamental part of everyday life. We continue to provide library services across the county where others have closed them. Developing the Organisation an organisation for the future. We are focused on delivering excellent services as effectively as possible within our reduced resources. We are using technology to maximise the time our staff can spend delivering services, including creating ‘back office’ hubs to bring together staff in those area reducing costs and providing a space for staff working across the county to use, saving travel time and meaning more time working for you. We listen to and value our staff to ensure we continue to provide the best possible services whilst meeting the challenges we face. DELIVERING AND INVESTING IN FIRST CLASS SERVICES Northumberland is a beautiful place to live and visit. It is also a great place to work and invest in. Employment opportunities in the county are being boosted by lots of initiatives and new infrastructure, transport links, regeneration and a wider choice of housing. Our market towns initiative will help to regenerate the county’s nine towns; generating over £33 million in capital income and annual savings in Council running costs of £3.4 million to re-invest in the market towns. Helping to protect frontline services and keeping services local the market towns initiative will also provide one stop shops for residents where they will be able to access council services under one roof. We are also combining office functions to generate savings and selling buildings and land we no longer need. Our market towns initiative has generated almost £12million in income by selling buildings and land we no longer need including the Pavillion Day Care Centre in Bedlington, Thornbrae in Alnwick, Cramlington Library, Shankhouse Fire Station, The Old Post Office in Alnwick and Blyth Fire Station. Whilst we have also been investing in a range of other properties to help regenerate the market towns; including the refurbishment of Hexham House to become a wedding venue and holiday rentals, McDonald House in Berwick to provide a hub for council workers and Northumberland Hall in Alnwick. We are using modern technology to ensure we can provide the best services. 2 APPENDIX 1 We have an exciting £352 million capital investment programme, showing our commitment to boosting the local economy and benefiting residents; including new leisure facilities and schools and investment in our roads and transport; including a commitment to re-opening the Ashington Blyth-Tyne passenger train line and the Morpeth Bypass. Through Arch, the Council’s development company, we have attracted over £49.24 million of private sector investment in the county. The Northumberland Business Growth Programme has seen grants totalling £6.47 million awarded to 101 companies, leveraging £25 million of private investment and creating 649 jobs whilst safeguarding an additional 140 jobs. All in all we are making a great county even better. 3 APPENDIX 1 ECONOMIC GROWTH Our aim is to promote a more prosperous county that provides high wages, skilled jobs and opportunities to create thriving businesses. We are investing in your towns: ● Our market towns initiative will help to regenerate the county’s nine towns; generating over £33 million in capital income and annual savings in Council running costs of £3.4 million to re-invest in the market towns. ● We have introduced free parking in every town and parish that asked for it - making shopping locally a much more attractive prospect for people again. ● Three Council sites will become brand new Lidl stores in Bedlington, Blyth and Ashington and we’re converting Bedlington’s old Tesco site into a shiny new retail space - boosting jobs, footfall and spending. In March 2016 residents in Bedlington were consulted on new designs for the redevelopment of the former Tescos site. Whilst residents in Prudhoe were asked for their views on exciting plans being drawn up for a town centre retail development to regenerate Prudhoe, creating up to 200 new jobs. ● Plans are in place to build new office accommodation on the old Kwik Save site in Berwick; whilst £100,000 from the Mary Portas fund (match funded by the Council) has been invested in regenerating the town. ● The Wallace Green Planning building has now been refurbished to create a modern back office facility for a number of council and NHS services. By investing in technology it means that staff will be able to spend more time on providing services for residents and cut down on journey times. In Berwick a number of buildings have been refurbished while others are undergoing modernisation work as part of the council’s programme to review all its properties across the market town. A one stop shop for council services has been created in the refurbished Walkergate building bringing together the library, customer services and the Tourist Information Centre, as well as the local adult learning service . ● We have opened the Mowbray Day Centre for people with learning and physical disabilities. Near to shops and public transport the new site offers brighter, large rooms that give greater flexibility for activities that include dance and performing arts, sports activities and baking activity and sales. ● At Newbiggin the redevelopment by Arch of two former now derelict public houses will continue and become a key part of the ongoing regeneration of the 4 APPENDIX 1 town. The new Front Street development will include commercial opportunities and an office for Newbiggin-by-the-Sea Town Council, along with modern and accessible public conveniences, and apartments available to rent on the upper floors. ● Through the Portas scheme, Newbiggin was awarded £94,300 (match funded by the Council) with a further £54,000 from a variety of sources to boost trade and rejuvenate the high street. ● Agreement has been reached in principle to secure the future of Alnwick Playhouse for both residents and visitors to the town. The building would continue to be a theatre, while the council will use part of the building to provide a library, tourist information and front-office council facilities. Work is underway to re-open Station Rd, Ashington’s main shopping street to traffic to boost local trade, improving the overall look of the street and help deliver wider economic benefits as part of the ongoing regeneration of the town centre. Whilst approval was given to build a new smaller more efficient council headquarters on an invest to save scheme at Portland Park as part of the regeneration of Ashington. ● We are working in partnership with Aln Valley Railway Heritage Railway to deliver cafe facilities on site at the growing heritage railway site at Alnwick. The aim is to provide working experience for people with learning disabilities who use our Pottergate centre, while raising the profile of people with learning disabilities in their own community and promoting the services provided by the Pottergate centre and the council. ● New public transport facilities, housing and retail premises represents a £3.3 million investment in Hexham town centre, including a new bus station. The Council is also backing the proposed Hexham Business Improvement District which will secure £1.2 million of dedicated funding for improvements to the town.